text:
May 30, 2013
"The restraining order law is perhaps the second most unconstitutional abomination in our legal system, after our so-called child protection (DSS) laws. The restraining order process is designed to allow an order to be issued very easily, and to be appealed, stopped, or vacated only with the utmost difficulty…. "The motives for this law are […]
Reprehensible violations complained of for decades by men and women continue—and continue to be ignored. Victims' accounts are slighted as mischaracterizations, exaggerations, or, at best, freak instances of system failure.
The only thing rare about abusive accusations is their susceptibility to exposure, which plaintiffs, trial judges, and other beneficiaries of dragnet statutes militate against, as do the laws themselves. The expense of hiring representation (possibly on a few days' notice) to controvert allegations that may be immune to either verification or disproof (and may even have been lodged in a different state and demand travel to appear in court for what may be a 10-minute hearing), procuring transcripts, filing an appeal or appeals, etc. is prohibitive for the average defendant (who may meanwhile be homeless). Resisting a juggernaut has unseen tolls, besides, like moral exhaustion.
The alternative costs can include denial of access to children, companion animals, home, and property; loss of job or even employability in a field in which one has earned an advanced degree or otherwise received lengthy, specialized training; increased vulnerability to further accusations, governmental intrusion, and rights abrogations; and, consequently, diminished security and health.
Lying by plaintiffs, even if detected, is seldom acknowledged and almost never punished. What should be automatic grounds for dismissal of a complaint is not. Plaintiffs' attorneys lie, and even the police may construe facts and statements liberally to suit a pat narrative. Trial judges emphasize in their rulings what they want the record to reflect and downplay or omit what they don't. The researcher who concludes that an absence of prosecutions for lying means lying is infrequent or doesn't occur has eagerly capitulated to a logical fallacy.
A corollary of these facts is that no posited false allegation rate, whether of harassment or physical or sexual assault, is or could be remotely accurate.
Allegations leveled in the uncharted territory of civil court, which minimally number in the millions each year, are neither proved nor disproved, per se, and the actual volume and variety of allegations, which may be of literally anything an accuser can write on a fill-in-the-blank form or say aloud during a hearing, are registered nowhere but in the psyches of the accused. An exact figure even of the gross number of complainants who come before the court in a given year is indeterminable. Rulings in restraining order, family court, and domestic violence cases are moreover based on what judges are inclined to (or expected to) believe; judicial opinions are not based on "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," despite the gravity of their consequences. Except in a few states, even allegations of sexual assault are adjudicated according to the very lowest standard of evidence. Although ubiquitously represented otherwise, everything in this left field of the law is speculative—and it always has been.
Journalist Cathy Young, who has crusaded against extremism in gender politics for most if not all of her career, has perennially raised the question of whether protective orders, "intended to serve as a shield for victims, often end up being misused as a sword by overzealous courts and unscrupulous pseudo-victims." The particular story from which the preceding quotation is drawn goes on to report: "This issue, which a few fathers' rights advocates and attorneys have been trying to raise for several years, is finally getting some attention…." Consider that word finally. The story ran in 1999. Protective order laws have only grown more expansive, accommodating, and punitive since.
Posts on this blog formerly exceeded 400. Its author has endeavored to reconstitute the site, which includes posts on all aspects of the contemptible institution of law called the "protective order." Most of the site's newer posts, written since the author's most recent attacks in court, revolve around one. That post introduces aspects of a hermetic process that no stranger to it could reasonably imagine. Especially noteworthy is that the conflict the post details is unextraordinary. Contrary impressions a reader might form are not ones s/he would derive from any finding of a court. The same motives and patterns of behavior by plaintiffs and judges may inform most "abuse" cases—or all of them to some extent. An outsider would never know. As that post stresses, beyond defendants' being reluctant to raise objections in public because apprehensive of scorn, further rights privations by the government, termination of employ, etc., they may be judicially forbidden on pain of incarceration from telling others how the court "administers justice."
The controversy the post highlights is distinguished from the commonplace only in that the plaintiff is a public official, and the defendant, after a decade of defying misrepresentations to the police and the court, was able to secure legal counsel, transcripts, and appellate court access on the taxpayer's dime, because the plaintiff overreached. The defendant also possessed the training to show what others cannot. He had resources available to him, in other words, that few in his position ever do. His case is otherwise unremarkable, and his privations have been far less grave than those of many other defendants who've shared their stories with him over the years. The unremitting stresses of the matter his case concerns have nevertheless denied him the value, enrichment, and enjoyment of his life.
Readers are encouraged to compare and contrast that case's revelations with predominately mainstream commentary that spans almost 30 years, and to weigh the implications. They're urged to consider, for instance, that while the "silence breakers" of the #MeToo movement have been collectively named 2017's "Person of the Year" by Time Magazine, millions of others with contrasting stories must go on anguishing or seething in obscurity, because their silence is enforced by the state—with ukases and guns.
"A restraining order or protective order is a legal order issued by a state court which requires one person to stop harming another person. It is also sometimes called a protection order, an injunction, an order of protection, or some other similar name."
"An order of protection is a Court order that tells your abuser to stop abusing you. It may also tell your abuser to stop abusing your child(ren). The order tells him in detail what he must do and must not do."
Stephanie Chavez, Los Angeles Times (1989):
"Once granted, the court document commonly orders an abuser to move out of his or her house and keep 100 or 150 yards away from it and the people inside. Abusive fathers or mothers are told to stay away from their children's school and not telephone family members. Temporary custody of children and even cars can be granted.
"The abused simply walk into the courtroom, receive an application from the clerk and sit back in the bench to explain in handwritten accounts…why the court should referee their relationships."
Attorney Liz Mandarano, Huffington Post (2011):
"There are between 2 and 3 million temporary restraining orders issued in the United States annually. Despite their huge impact on a person's emotional and financial well-being, in order to receive a temporary 'stay away' order of protection, one needs only to allege that he or she 'feels' threatened…. There does not need to be any history of domestic violence whatsoever."
Attorney Joseph E. Cordell, Huffington Post (2015):
"Essentially, all the alleging party must do to obtain a protection order is tell the judge they feel it is necessary."
"In many states, you can file for a restraining order against anyone who has stalked or harassed you, even if you do not have a specific relationship with that person. In addition, most states include stalking as a reason to get a domestic violence restraining order."
Elizabeth Black, Ms. Magazine (2010):
"This spring, the Maryland legislature killed a bill that would have brought Maryland's restraining order policies into line with every other state in the union. Remarkably, in Maryland, a stalking victim seeking help is required to prove her case with 'clear and convincing' evidence…."
Cathy Young, Salon (1999):
"Even feminist activists are willing to allow that restraining orders can be misused as a 'coercive tool'—by men. In 1995, in Somerville, Mass., Stephen Gruning broke into the apartment of his ex-girlfriend, Rhonda Stuart, and went on a shooting rampage, wounding her and killing her brother and her new boyfriend. When press reports revealed that Gruning had earlier obtained two temporary restraining orders against Stuart, women's advocates were quick to point out that such orders were very easy to get, 'regardless of the facts.'"
Attorney Elaine Epstein, former president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Women's Bar Association ("Speaking the Unspeakable," Massachusetts Women's Bar Association Newsletter, today out of print, quoted below by Prof. Stephen Baskerville, Ph.D., in "Family Violence in America: The Truth about Domestic Violence and Child Abuse," 2006) (1993):
"Boston attorney Elaine Epstein…has accused her peers of succumbing [to] the 'media frenzy surrounding domestic violence' and of doling out restraining orders 'like candy.' 'Restraining orders and orders to vacate are granted to virtually all who apply,' and 'the facts have become irrelevant,' she writes. 'In virtually all cases, no notice, meaningful hearing, or impartial weighing of evidence is to be had.'"
Deseret News (1997):
"'They've made it too easy,' said [attorney Alan] Barber. 'It's a classic case of overreaction. It's turned into a free-for-all.'
"Recent sharp increases in demand for protection orders [reflect] abuse of the law, not increased need or awareness of family violence, Barber argues. The easy-to-obtain orders are being improperly used to resolve property disputes and child-custody fights, and judges are not acting to stop the abuse, he said."
Virginia Black, South Bend Tribune (2014):
"A man who was shot in a work dispute learned a few days later that a judge granted a protection order against him—requested by the man who shot him.
"A father already chafing against restricted visitation with his toddler daughter after an argument with the mother of his child cried foul when, a few months later, he was slapped with what he calls an unfair protection order.
"A young woman who told police her car was vandalized by an ex-boyfriend was surprised when a letter arrived in the mail, telling her a protection order had been granted against her. It was sought by the ex's new girlfriend.
"'I just feel like you shouldn't just be able to say whatever you want,' the woman said, 'and have something like this on your record.'"
Attorney Gregory Hession (author of MassOutrage), YouTube (2016):
"[W]e're used to due process, we're used to rules of evidence, we're used to innocence until proven guilty, we're used to burdens of proof that you have to prove something beyond a reasonable doubt before you can deprive somebody of rights—all of these things are completely thrown out the door in these cases. So the case that would appear before that was a regular case, you know, somebody even just not having their driver's license or something, has 10 times as many rights as the parent who then appears in the next case and has their children taken away without any of those rights."
Loyola Law Prof. Aaron Caplan, Hastings Law Journal (2013):
"Many structural factors of civil harassment litigation lead to higher-than-usual risk of constitutional error. As with family law, civil harassment law has a way of encouraging some judges to dispense freewheeling, Solomonic justice according to their visions of proper behavior and the best interests of the parties. Judges' legal instincts are not helped by the accelerated and abbreviated procedures required by the statutes. The parties are rarely represented by counsel, and ex parte orders are encouraged, which means courts may not hear the necessary facts and legal arguments. Very few civil harassment cases lead to appeals, let alone appeals with published opinions. As a result, civil harassment law tends to operate with a shortage of two things we ordinarily rely upon to ensure accurate decision-making by trial courts: the adversary system and appellate review."
Alan Feuer, The New York Times (2010):
"Family courts in New York City provide clerks to help victims of abuse who cannot afford lawyers pursue orders in cases that do not involve criminal charges. Peter J. Passidomo, chief clerk of the city's Family Court system, said the process is as simple as filling out a form…."
Northern Illinois University Law Prof. David H. Taylor, et al., Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy (2008):
"The ease with which ex parte orders can be obtained creates the opportunity for…misuse, allowing an ex parte order of protection to be granted on the basis of flimsy or false allegations. [E]x parte orders of protection are granted routinely at an extraordinarily high rate; in some jurisdictions, nearly one hundred percent."
Julia C. Mead, The New York Times (2005):
"In 2004, 13,358 orders of protection were served in Suffolk County, 25 percent more than in 1993, according to the Sheriff's Department. (Comparable figures for Nassau were not available.) And because of a 1997 state law that reclassified certain violations as felonies, the number of new felony prosecutions involving violations of orders more than doubled in Suffolk, reaching 694 last year, compared with 257 in 1996, according to the district attorney's office."
Cathy Young, The Boston Globe (1999):
"With the order in effect, any contact becomes punishable by up to two and half years of imprisonment. Legally, it doesn't matter if the contact is accidental, or if it happened with the purported victim's consent or at her initiative. Fathers hit with restraining orders based on trivial or uncorroborated allegations have been jailed for sending their kids a Christmas card, asking a telephone operator to convey the message that a gravely ill grandmother would like to see her grandchildren, or returning a child's phone call."
Laura Mansnerus, The New York Times (1998):
"[L]egal experts agree that in ordinary civil suits, lying is rampant and prosecution for lying is rare."
Russ Bleemer ("N.J. Judges Told to Ignore Rights in Abuse TROs," New Jersey Law Journal, today preserved only on an archived website that had been devoted to non-custodial parents' rights) (1995):
"Kessler was reacting to a question that arose during Russell's presentation. 'The statute says we should apply just cause in issuing the order,' an unidentified, new municipal judge said, adding, 'You seem to be saying to grant every order.'
"Russell quickly replied, 'Yeah, that's what I seem to be saying.'"
Attorney David N. Heleniak, Rutgers Law Review (2005):
"Imagine the following hypothetical scenario. Following the initial enforcement of a [temporary restraining order], which alleged physical abuse, a husband/defendant is thrown out of his house without so much as a toothbrush. He is allowed to take his wallet with him but is prohibited from taking his checkbook because the police officers fear that he might maliciously exhaust the marital assets. He isn't given a place to shower or sleep, and only has enough money in his wallet for a few meager meals. During this period, when his main concerns are about his physical survival, he is told that there will be a [final restraining order] hearing ten days from the filing of the complaint. Having no legal background, he has no inkling of the consequences of this hearing or of the goings on of a courtroom. He has not been advised he has the right to have an attorney represent him, and doesn't realize he needs one. He couldn't afford one if he did, but he has no right, unlike a criminal defendant, to be provided with free counsel. He arrives at court on the hearing day woefully unprepared, tired, unshowered, unkempt, and disheveled. Unaware that the Supreme Court has declared that 'the ten-day provision does not preclude a continuance where fundamental fairness dictates allowing a defendant additional time,' he does not ask for one.
"During the hearing, our hypothetical plaintiff introduces hearsay and examples of prior bad acts that are not allowed under the rules of evidence. Unfamiliar with the law, the defendant does not object to the judge's consideration of the improper evidence, but simply insists that the evidence is untrue. Unable to take the plaintiff's deposition prior to the hearing, he is surprised when she brings up prior events that were not alleged in the complaint. Taken out of context and twisted so as to only be partially true, the introduction of this evidence hurts his defense. He hasn't thought of these events for years and, caught off-guard, cannot articulate to the judge what really happened."
Attorney Christine Sullivan, The Valley Patriot (2013):
"The husband and wife both love their children and spend as much time with their children as possible. There has never been any physical or mental abuse in the marriage, but the marriage simply isn't working. After a stressful weekend of arguing, the husband tells the wife that he wants a divorce. That same afternoon, the husband is served with a restraining order, alleging that he has physically abused his wife and his children.
"He has five (5) minutes to gather some personal belongings from his house, while being accompanied by a police officer watching his every move. Other than what he can put in a bag in five (5) minutes, the husband has only the clothes on his back and no place to go. Worst of all, his children, the ones that he loves more than anything in life and that he is used to seeing every day, have now been ripped away from him for at least ten (10) business days and he is powerless to do anything about it.
"How can this happen?"
Attorney Steve Fischer, TribTalk (2017):
"I'm early for county court and my client and I watch the case before ours. It's a protective order. A husband pleads, 'Your honor, I just got served last week, the police threw me out of our house, my wife took all our money and hired an attorney who filed a divorce with a restraining order. I don't have money now for an attorney and I miss my children.'
"Nothing out of the ordinary here….
"Enacted by the Texas Legislature in 1979, protective orders have been hailed as a powerful deterrent to family violence—so much so that the penalties to perpetrators have steadily increased, along with the rights awarded to the victims. Yet I wonder…[h]ow often are they abused to give one person an overwhelming advantage in divorce and custody cases? Approximately 85-95 percent of these orders are against men; are they always at fault?"
Wendy McElroy, Foundation for Economic Education (2010):
"[Domestic violence] is a deeply politicized issue. Gender feminists cast it as a quintessential crime of male oppression; 'get tough' prosecutors and politicians use it as a career path; and an 'industry' of researchers, social workers, lawyers, therapists, and other experts acquire status and income from DV.
"The incentives are for more and not less enforcement, and those accused become increasingly vulnerable to false accusations and the suspension of their due-process rights."
Georgetown Law Prof. Deborah Epstein, William and Mary Law Review (2002):
"During the 1980s and 1990s, victim advocates lobbied aggressively and successfully to change [domestic violence] policies in many jurisdictions. Today, many [prosecutors'] offices in major urban centers have adopted aggressive 'no-drop' prosecution policies: cases proceed even when a victim recants her original story and testifies for the defense. In cases where the victim does not wish to cooperate, prosecuting attorneys pursue alternative litigation strategies, treating domestic violence cases as they would homicides…."
Cathy Young, Forbes (2009):
"[P]ublic policy on domestic violence in the U.S. is heavily dominated by feminist advocacy groups. For the most part, these groups embrace a rigid orthodoxy that treats domestic violence as male terrorism against women, rooted in patriarchal power and intended to enforce it. They also have a record of making grotesquely exaggerated, thoroughly debunked claims about an epidemic of violence against women—for instance, that battering causes more hospital visits by women every year than car accidents, muggings and cancer combined."
Sarah Miller, Time (2014):
"The worst part about writing everything you're about to read has been the ever-present thought, Please God, do not let Women Against Feminism think that I am even remotely on their side. I will never, ever, be 'against feminism'—whatever that means."
Dorothy Cummings McLean, LifeSiteNews (2017):
"[C]olumnist Emily Lindin has tweeted her contempt for men falsely accused of sexual assault or harassment.
"'Here's an unpopular opinion,' she wrote. 'I'm actually not at all concerned about innocent men losing their jobs over false sexual assault/harassment allegations.'
"Lindin next tweeted her belief that 'false allegations VERY rarely happen….'"
Sandra Newman, Quartz (2017):
"[F]alse rape accusations almost never have serious consequences."
Harvard Law Prof. Alan Dershowitz, Observer (2015):
"On an intellectual level, I could understand what it must feel like to have people think that you are guilty…when you know you are innocent. But until it happened to me, I would have no real comprehension of what it actually feels like, on an emotional level. My education is now complete: I understand—really understand—why it is so important to protect the innocent as well as to punish the guilty."
Janice Shaw Crouse, U.S. News & World Report (2012):
"At the outset it is important to say, emphatically, that no decent person would stand by while a more powerful, stronger or bigger person physically abuses or batters someone more vulnerable. Everyone should want to end violence against women, but the Violence Against Women Act misses the mark. It ends up creating a climate of suspicion where all men are feared or viewed as violent and abusive and all women are viewed as victims. Decent people should be outraged at the climate of false accusations, rush to judgment and hidden agendas that characterize the situation that has developed during the 18 years of this law."
Brittany Pierce, New England Law Review (2012):
"While abuse prevention orders can protect an individual who is suffering abuse, the procedure for issuing abuse prevention orders is itself subject to abuse. In Massachusetts, Chapter 209A defines 'abuse' very broadly, giving judges ample discretion in deciding whether to issue an abuse prevention order. Unfortunately, this discretion has engendered lenity, and judges often grant abuse prevention orders unnecessarily. Individuals who wish to gain an advantage in a divorce proceeding, or want to punish a family member or former significant other, can easily obtain an abuse prevention order by vaguely alleging fear."
Chanta L. Jackson, NJ.com (2008):
"Certainly abused women need protection and support, but there are many troubling aspects of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act's restraining order provisions that merit judicial or legislative redress.
"Under the law, it is very easy for a woman to allege domestic violence and get a restraining order (aka 'protection order'). New Jersey issues 30,000 restraining orders annually, and men are targeted in four-fifths of them. The standard is 'preponderance of the evidence'…, and judges almost always side with the accusing plaintiff.
"Under the law, the accuser need not even claim abuse. Alleged verbal threats of violence are sufficient, even though it's almost impossible for the accused to provide substantive contradictory evidence.
"The restraining order boots the man out of his own home and generally prohibits him from contacting his children. Men are cut off from their possessions and property, and some end up in homeless shelters. Yet most have never had a chance to defend themselves in court."
Justin Jouvenal, The Washington Post (2012):
"The number of requests for restraining orders in Virginia has exploded in the past six months, and a review by The Washington Post of more than 50 applications found that neighbors, co-workers, friends and even strangers are using a new law that makes them much easier to get.
"Advocates for victims of domestic violence said the state's novel approach is a major step forward, but others are worried that the law is so broad that courts are being strained by the requests and that some are seemingly frivolous or calculated to gain leverage in pending litigation, such as child-custody suits."
KSTP.com (2017):
"Minnesotans involved in custody or domestic disputes, or those who feel threatened or that they're being stalked, can apply for [a restraining] order online. The application includes descriptions of harassing behaviors like repeated incidents of unwanted acts or gestures.
"Once approved, an order can remain in effect for up to two years. Anyone violating an order can be arrested."
USA Today (2014):
"Restraining orders give victims of domestic violence a tool to keep their abusers away or at least have them arrested if they come close. Anyone in a relationship with recent history of abuse can apply, and the order can be signed the same day."
Shannon Houser, Fox News (2017):
"When someone needing services calls A Better Way, the first question they ask is 'are you safe?' Then, 'what can we do to make you safe?' Often, victims are encouraged to file protective orders. To receive a protective order, there does not need to be an active criminal case and a judge generally only takes 24 hours to approve or deny the request. Advocates said most requests are approved."
Lynh Bui, The Washington Post (2017):
"The center is meant to be a one-stop shop of services to help those navigating domestic violence. They can obtain help in filling out a protective order, getting housing and, in the case of Stay In Touch, finding emotional support, all in one place."
Forensic psychologist Deborah C. Tyler, American Thinker (2011):
"In recent years I have seen false allegations of physical and sexual abuse made to gain advantage in the workplace, schools, and divorce and custody conflicts. I have also seen psychology—which has refined methods for determining the truth in these emotionally fraught charges—distorted and ignored in order to favor the accuser."
Jessica Masulli Reyes, DelawareOnline (2016):
"Then, his ex-wife leveled another accusation of domestic violence. This time, the Dover Police Department found that his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor put him miles away from his ex-wife at the time she said the violence occurred, he said.
"After an investigation, the police swiftly cleared him of all eight charges…."
Nicole Darrah, Fox News (2017):
"As Berrott was cooperating with police, Garcia was making threats to herself under his name…. Investigators reportedly found that it wasn't possible for Berrott to have sent one of the threats because he was in custody at the time.
"'He didn't do any of this. He was charged with eight criminal cases and is innocent of all of them,' prosecutor Britni Cooper told the [Houston Chronicle]. 'I'm horrified, actually, and can't imagine what this guy went through. It's a nightmare.'"
Cathy Young, Independent Women's Forum (2005):
"[L]ike many movements that have pursued worthwhile social goals, the battered women's movement has also had a more extreme side. Many activists have openly acknowledged that a radical political philosophy played an important role in shaping the movement and its worldview. In the 1982 book, Women and Male Violence: The Visions and Struggles of the Battered Women's Movement, the late Susan Schechter wrote that the battered women's movement was organized primarily by two groups: radical feminists, who saw women as an oppressed class in a society dominated by a male power structure, and socialist feminists, who 'joined an analysis of male domination to one of class and race oppression.' Both of these groups were distinct from liberal 'women's rights' feminists, who wanted simply to ensure equal treatment for women within the existing structure of society."
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2011):
"You have bullshit; we have research."
Phyllis Schlafly, The Phyllis Schlafly Report (2005):
"[The Violence Against Women Act] funds the re-education of judges and law enforcement personnel to teach them feminist stereotypes about male abusers and female victims, how to game the system to empower women, and how to ride roughshod over the constitutional rights of men.
"VAWA encourages women to make false allegations and then petition for full child custody and a denial of fathers' rights to see their own children. VAWA promotes the unrestrained use of restraining orders, which family courts issue on the woman's say-so.
"VAWA-funded centers engage in political advocacy for feminist legislation such as the 'must-arrest' laws even if there is no sign of violence and even if the woman doesn't want the man arrested, and the 'no drop' laws which mean the government must prosecute the man even if the woman doesn't want him prosecuted.
"It's time to stop VAWA from spending any more taxpayers' money to promote family dissolution and fatherless children."
Attorney Joseph E. Cordell, Huffington Post (2011):
"A…report published earlier this year estimated that 85% of protective orders are entered against men. I believe that upwards of 90% of those orders are products of tactical divorce considerations.
"In fact, many people are encouraged by their lawyers to seek this protection without cause because of the beneficial position gained by this strategic move.
"These orders are easy to obtain—all a woman has to do is say that she is in reasonable fear for her safety. Documented evidence of abuse is not required."
Prof. Sarah L. Desmarais, et al., Journal of Family Violence (2009):
"Every state in the United States now authorizes its courts to issue civil orders of protection against domestic violence. Typically, a temporary domestic violence restraining order (TRO) is issued ex parte at the request of any plaintiff who expresses an 'objectively reasonable subjective fear of being injured' [citation omitted], without the respondent (i.e., the alleged perpetrator) having to be present in court. TROs are granted for two- to four-week periods, at which point a hearing is held to determine if a permanent order is warranted, valid in most states for a period of one to four years. In California, as of June 6th 2003, there were 227,941 active restraining orders (including temporary and permanent) issued against adults, almost all of them for domestic violence. Of the domestic violence orders, approximately 72% restrained a man from a protected woman, 19% restrained a same-sex partner, and 9% restrained a woman from a protected man [citation omitted]. Of particular significance to family court cases, the protected parent almost automatically obtains custody of the children, without a custody hearing or a custody decision being made [citation omitted]."
Prof. Stephen Baskerville, Ph.D., The Independent Review (2004):
"The assumption that the government has a legitimate role in ameliorating the problem of fatherlessness…glides quickly over the more fundamental question of whether the government has had a role in creating the problem. What we see in the 'fatherhood crisis' may be an optical illusion. What many are led to believe is a social problem may in reality be an exercise of power by the state."
Attorney Gregory Hession (author of MassOutrage), YouTube (2012):
"[A]t this point, in many, many of our lives, we probably either have experienced or know somebody that's experienced some encounter with family law, particularly, but at least the law in general. There was a time in America where that generally would not have happened. Most times people could spend their whole lives without ever having anything to do with the law. Maybe they watched something happen. But here and now in this United States, for example, 500,000 children are right now in the custody of the state…. [T]hat's an astounding number."
Jonah Valdez, Voice of San Diego (2017):
"San Diego Superior Court is no longer providing court reporters for family law proceedings.
"Court reporters are responsible for creating an exact record of what was said during hearings, depositions and trials. Not having a court reporter present in court means there is no verbatim, written record of the proceedings."
Wendy McElroy, Fox News (2002):
"Miller's suicide is symbolic of a frightening global trend: an alarming rise in male suicides. According to a round of studies conducted in North America, Europe and Australia, one reason for the increase may be the discrimination fathers encounter in family courts, especially the denial of access to their children."
Prof. Augustine J. Kposowa, Ph.D., Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health (2000):
"When data were stratified by sex, it was observed that the risk of suicide among divorced men was over twice that of married men…. Among women, however, there were no statistically significant differentials in the risk of suicide by marital status categories."
Dan Bilsker, Ph.D., and Jennifer White, Ed.D., BC Medical Journal (2011):
"[W]hile accumulating empirical evidence confirms that men in Western nations consistently die by suicide at higher rates than women…, surprisingly few explanatory frameworks have been developed to account for this persistent pattern."
Christie Blatchford, National Post (2017):
"Early on the morning of March 9, Jeramey apparently rigged his truck so that when he drove down an embankment…his neck would break.
"In a scrawled and bloody suicide note found in the truck, he wrote: 'FAMILY LAW NEEDS REFORM. I recommend mandated lower costs and less reward for false claims of abuse. Parental Alienation is devastating. I loved my children as much as a husband and father could. I see no light. Recommend; an authority consistent during high conflict separations: It is exploited in family law.
"'Sorry Dad and Angie. I'm very sorry.'
"He was 45 years old when he died…."
Suzette Reynoso, Eyewitness News (2017):
"According to the American Association of Suicidology, white middle aged men have the highest suicide rates in America, and the numbers have continued to climb for the past 10 years."
Lindsay Holmes and Anna Almendrala, Huffington Post (2016):
"Suicide continues to be a mostly white male phenomenon in the U.S.; white men made up 83 percent of the 33,113 male suicide deaths in 2014."
Vicki Larson, Huffington Post (2011):
"We're used to men being violent. Literature, movies and video games are full of heroes and antiheroes who kill and maim their way into our hearts and nightmares. At the same time, we tell boys to 'suck it up' instead of expressing pain, leaving them few emotions but anger. Then we chastise them when they actually get angry—or live in fear of their anger. And sometimes we use the one emotion we've allowed them to our advantage."
"The so-called 'manosphere' is peopled with hundreds of websites, blogs and forums dedicated to savaging feminists in particular and women…in general. Although some of the sites make an attempt at civility and try to back their arguments with facts, they are almost all thick with misogynistic attacks that can be astounding for the guttural hatred they express."
Michael Lerner, The New York Times (2016):
"Instead of challenging this ideology of shame, the left has buttressed it…. The rage many white working-class people feel in response is rooted in the sense that once again, as has happened to them throughout their lives, they are being misunderstood."
Gina Benevento, Al Jazeera (2017):
"[A] new far-right universe has come to power in the White House, and whether you listen to Jeff Sessions, nominee for Attorney General, or examine leaked Trump team proposed budgets, funding for the Violence Against Women Act will cease. That means 25 grants focused on 'reducing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by strengthening services for victims and holding offenders accountable' will disappear."
KMOV.com (2016):
"News 4 has been tracking the story of the unusual case of an ex-parte order of protection being filed against [an] 8-year-old…. On September 7 he was removed from school by Jefferson County Sheriff's Department deputies and was told he can't go back until after the order of protection is lifted."
Lisa Bourne, LifeSiteNews (2017):
"The abortion facility volunteer who almost ran over a Catholic priest with her car while fleeing the scene after attempting to steal pro-life signs has filed for a restraining order against the priest."
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La Habra Heights California CA Old English Mens Dad Hat Baseball Cap printed by Urban Gear. Rep your city or town in one of our hats for your state.
- Available in Black, Tan, Pink & White.
- City Old English Graphic is Printed.
- Made from 100% Cotton with Adjustable Strap.
- Unstructured 6 Panel Hat
- All Orders Ship Out Fast Within 1-2 Business days!


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Could too much protein put you on the path toward an early grave?
For middle-aged people who consume lots of meat, milk and cheese, the answer could be a resounding yes, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Cell Metabolism.
U.S. and Italian researchers tracked thousands of adults for nearly two decades and found that those who ate a diet high in animal proteins during middle age were four times more likely to die of cancer than contemporaries with low-protein diets — a risk factor comparable to smoking. They also were several times more likely to die of diabetes, and nearly twice as likely to die in general.
"The great majority of Americans could reduce their protein intake," said one of the study"s co-authors, Valter Longo, a University of Southern California gerontology professor and director of the school"s Longevity Institute. "The best change would be to lower the daily intake of all proteins, but especially animal-derived proteins."
That advice comes with a caveat.
Even as researchers warned of the health risks of high-protein diets in middle age, they said eating more protein actually could be a smart move for people over 65. "At older ages, it may be important to avoid a low-protein diet to allow the maintenance of healthy weight and protection from frailty," another co-author, USC gerontology professor Eileen Crimmins, said in a release detailing the findings.
Exactly how much protein belongs in the average diet has proven a topic of perpetual debate, one complicated by popular diets such as Atkins and Paleo, which rely heavily on animal-based proteins to help people shed weight. While such diets might succeed in that short-term goal, Longo said they could be leading to worse health down the road.
Part of the confusion, he argues, is that researchers too often have treated adulthood as a single period of life, rather than closely examining the many ways in which our bodies change as we grow older. In studying data about protein intake over many years, he says the picture becomes clearer: What"s good for you at one age might be harmful at another.
In the study published Tuesday, researchers defined a "high-protein" diet as one in which at least 20 percent of calories came from protein; a "low-protein" diet was defined as less than 10 percent. They found that even moderate amounts of protein consumption among middle-aged people had detrimental effects over time, a result that held true across ethnic, educational and health backgrounds.
Longo said many middle-aged Americans, along with an increasing number of people around the world, are eating twice and sometimes three times as much protein as they need, with too much of that coming from animals rather than plant-based foods such as nuts, seeds and beans.
He said adults in middle age would be better off adhering to the recommendation of several top health agencies to consume about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day — roughly 55 grams for a 150-pound person, or the equivalent of an 8-ounce piece of meat or several cups of dry beans.
Ideally, Longo said, Americans would start following the example of the inhabitants in the small, southern Italian town of Molochilo, home to one of the highest rates of centenarians in the world. Their secret: For much of their lives, a large number of villagers maintained a low-protein, plant-based diet. In their older years, many ended up moving in with their children and eating higher-protein diets more common today. Whether on purpose or by happenstance, they seem to have hit on the ideal recipe for a long life.
"There is no harm," Longo said, "in eating the way our grandparents used to eat."


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Deerfield Beach, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/11/2017 -- Summary of the Sport Bottle Market
The report on Sport Bottle Market offers a complete analysis of the market. This was achieved with the help of the chronological data that was collected, the exhaustive qualitative insights, and the statistical data of the market. Thorough studies and researches were conducted and reliable methodologies were used to verify the data that was collected. Industrial experts were consulted and their opinions were taken into consideration while making studies of the market.
Primary researches were made which include surveys, opinions of seasoned analysts, and interviews. For collecting and verifying the data, the use of secondary researches was also made which includes reputable paid sources, industry body databases, entails, and trade journals. Both qualitative and quantitative assessments were made across different industrial aspects and market verticals.
Analysis of different trends that is prevailing in the market was made. The segmentation of the market was included. Studies of the sub-segments were also considered in order to better understand the market position in the global market.
Request a Brochure of This Report, here: http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/world-sport-bottle-market-by-product-type-market-136969#RequestSample
Key features of this report
- Factors such as drivers, limitations, and challenges that are helping in shaping the Sport Bottle market dynamics
- Most recent developments and technological trends in the market
- Study of the industry strategies of the prominent players in the market
- Sport Bottle market forecasts and estimates
- Detailed information about the parent market
- Changing marketing trends in the industry
- Market segmentation in depth
- Recent industry trends and developments
- Competitive landscape
- Offers of the market players regarding the products and services
- Potential segments and the regions that exhibit a promising market growth
- An unbiased perspective on the performance of the market
Highlights of the report:
- An absolute background analysis of the market, which includes the evaluation of the parent market
- Significant changes in the dynamics of the market
- Market segmentation and sub-segmentation
- Past, present, and the future market position in terms of both volume and value
- Evaluation and reporting of current developments in the industry
- Company shares and strategies that are involved in the market
- Rising functional segments and the regional markets
- A point-to-point assessment of the market development
- Suggestions to the companies for their growth in the market
Inquiry To Buy Report: http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/world-sport-bottle-market-by-product-type-market-136969#InquiryForBuying
The report is a source of trustworthy data on:
- Market segmentation and sub-segmentation
- Market drivers and dynamics
- Supply, sales, and demand
- Market position and size
- Current challenges/opportunities/trends
- Company profiles
- Technological advancements
- Future predictions of the market
The regional analysis covers:
- North America
- Canada
- The U.S.
- Mexico
- Others
- Latin America
- Mexico
- Brazil
- Peru
- Chile
- Others
- Western Europe
- The U.K.
- Netherlands
- France
- Spain
- Italy
- Germany
- Nordic countries
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Eastern Europe
- Poland
- Russia
- Asia Pacific
- India
- Australia
- Japan
- New Zealand
- China
- Middle East and Africa
- Southern Africa
- North Africa


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Game of Thrones By the Book: Season 4 Expectations, Hopes and Fears
Hello, friends and bannermen. HBO's Game of Thrones kicks off its fourth season soon (Sunday, April 6, 9/8c), which means that it's time for more tragedy, treachery and Tyrion! But how will the series match up with the books? How will it differ?
This weekly chat series is for fans of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books, upon which HBO's fantasy drama is based. It's meant to be a safe haven to discuss spoilers and changes from the novels and how they have played out or will play out in the TV series. Hanh Nguyen and Sadie Gennis are longtime fantasy fans of varying levels of geekiness who will sound off on all things Westerosi (and beyond!).
Game of Throneshit list: Who do you want to die next in Season 4?
[Warning: If you're a Game of Thrones fan who has stumbled upon this chat and hasn't read the books yet, begone! Instead, check out the Game of Thrones hit list and future recaps for spoiler-free discussions.]
Hanh: Season 4 -- I've never been so uncertain about what's coming timing-wise. I mean, I know a few of the major deaths coming, which I'm so excited for the non-readers to see. I'm going to be glued to Twitter when Joffrey chokes!
Sadie: I rarely watch live TV, but I'll definitely be making an exception for that episode. It's been so hard not spoiling anything that it'll just be such a huge relief to finally be able to talk about it!
Hanh: And with it coming up sooner in the season than later, that will be fun. I wonder, however, on the timing of Tywin's and Lysa Arryn's deaths -- two other very visual deaths. Will Charles Dance consent to die on the crapper? Lose his life on the loo?
Sadie: If Charles Dance doesn't give me the toilet death I've been dreaming, I will be Red Wedding-level upset. Tywin has always been such a powerful force that seeing him killed in such a sad, pathetic way is a reminder that everyone in this show is really so fallible. As for the timing, since Joffrey's death will have to come so soon, I wonder if they'll still stick to the big Episode 9 tradition they've been doing.
Hanh: It makes sense. With Joff dying early, there still needs to be time for Tyrion to mold in jail, the whole Oberyn fight, Jaime to break his little brother out, etc. They could conceivably stretch it until almost the end of the season. Hmm, would then Lysa die earlier or later ... or *gasp* in the same episode?
Sadie: I hope they don't die in the same episode, though the Internet would have a field day if that happened. Lysa's and Tywin's deaths are both so important that I feel like if they were to occur in the same episode, the weight of one might be lost. I feel like Lysa's will come earlier, since Sansa and Littlefinger's story line can move at its own pace without any ripples back to characters and plot lines in King's Landing (or anywhere else really. Poor Sansa is so isolated).
Hanh: Sansa is the saddest Stark!
Sadie: Sansa is the best Stark! I'm so excited for people to really see her come into her own this season.
Will there be a Game of Thrones movie?
Hanh: There is something that is filling me with dread though. The series has made Shae a much more appealing character than in the books. But Book Shae has such an ignominious end.
Sadie: I have such mixed thoughts! I have no question that she's genuinely in love with Tyrion in the show. Finding in her Tywin's bed now just wouldn't make any sense. Unless he forces her, which would just be too cruel.
Hanh: Right, I can't imagine what horrible tortures Cersei would exert to make her testify against Tyrion, be found in Tywin's bed , and worse -- have Tyrion be angry enough to strangle her. It's going to have to be an accident, right? It can't be Tyrion murdering her in cold blood!
Sadie: I just hope if Shae does have to die at Tyrion's hand, it isn't some horrible misunderstanding where he thinks she betrayed her and she didn't. That'd be too heartbreaking, even for this show.
Hanh: I'm ready for heartbreak no matter what! Did you notice from the HBO trailer that Brienne is now searching for Arya and not Sansa?
Sadie: Wait, what?! How did I miss this? And how does that make any sense?
Hanh: Oh wait a sec, that trailer may have just edited together that way to mislead the viewers. Otherwise, they'll know that Sansa is on the run, which is a spoiler at this point. My bad!
Sadie: A girl can dream! There are just so many character pairings I'd love for the show to explore that we haven't seen yet. If Brienne ever were to find Arya, she'd finally get the mentor she's deserved since Syrio died.
Hanh: Imagine the table manners!
Sadie: As for pairings we'll (hopefully) see this season, I'm particularly intrigued to see how Jon Snow fares with Stannis and Melisandre when they reach the Wall. Or should I call him Lord Snow now?
Hanh: Ah, Lord Snow! Yes, Stannis' attitude towards Jon will be intriguing to see. Jon is a bastard after all, and we all know Stannis' feelings about bastards -- sacrifice them all!
Sadie: I'm just ready for Jon to get some real self-assurance. He's done so much, yet still knows so little (as Ygritte would always point out). I want to see how Kit Harington plays him once he starts coming into his own. Plus, I can't wait to see how uncomfortable Melisandre makes him!
Hanh: Jon Snow is best when he's outwitted and befuddled by a woman. I can just imagine him swearing off all women kissed by fire (literally in this case!).
Teacher threatens students with Game of Thrones spoilers
Sadie: How far do you think we'll get at the Wall this season?
Hanh: I think they can stretch out that battle for a while, and give us a really heartbreaking Ygritte farewell. I feel that Stannis coming to the rescue will be near the end. Although Jon may become Lord Snow before Stannis arrives. I think that might be why he'll be "treating" with Mance Rayder. I can't imagine Jon being locked up. That would be rather boring.
Sadie: He's gotta get out and about so he can fend off the Wall when Tormund and Styr come knocking -- which I really can't wait for. Mammoths and giants in a battle? Hell yes!
Hanh: Ooh, there weren't nearly enough last season. That's going to be epic. All hail, Ned Stark's bastard! Speaking of bastards (a segue I use as often as I can for this series), Gendry may be back if he's supposed to save Brienne's life at the Inn of the Crossroads.
Sadie: I support any excuse to bring back Gendry. I really love what they've done with his character, and it's so exciting not knowing EXACTLY what's coming. (Sidenote: Why do people still go to this inn? Every time, someone seems to either get murdered, murder someone or almost get murdered.)
Hanh: This inn must have the best lamb stew. Maybe Hot Pie should try to get a job there. Or not. He's had enough brushes with death. Ooh, speaking of pie ... I wonder how big that pie will be at the Purple Wedding.
Sadie: It better be massive! Like, if I wanted to, I should be able to comfortably nap in that pie (if it weren't filled with dead birds).
Hanh: Shoving live birds into a crust always sounded morbid to me. They would totally try to fly out if they managed to stay alive. How long are they in there? I obviously need to research more medieval cookery to know the logistics of this.
Sadie: I really hope that wedding is even half as extravagant as it was described in the book. We spend so much time in all these dirty places and with so much fighting, it'll be fun to see something so ostentatious for once.
Hanh: Yes! I want gowns, I want lutists, I want to see at least 20 of the 77 courses. I'd Instagram the Seven Hells out of that meal! #foodporn
Sadie: Though I can do without the repeated renditions of "The Rains of Castamere."
Hanh: But they'll play it with a jaunty air, I'm sure!
Sadie: And the pig and dog jousting! Don't forget that.
Hanh: Ugh! I cringed while reading that. I wonder how that will play out on the screen. ... Let's move on across the Narrow Sea to Daenerys!
VIDEO: Watch the new Season 4 Game of Thrones trailer
Sadie: First off, I would just like to say how much I applaud the new choice of Daario. Though I'm still frustrated that he doesn't have a brightly colored spiked beard and gold tooth!
Hanh: Oh yes, you do like you some Michiel Huisman. He seems to be the go-to smoldering guy. He's going to be on Orphan Black too.
Sadie: Secondly, this is the point in her story line where I really begin to get a little frustrated. I'm not really looking forward to her hanging out in Meereen and making terrible decisions for the next few seasons.
Hanh: Well, maybe Daario will make things more interesting. That is, unless he goes off to be an ambassador. But I feel the show needs to give her some romance. A lady can only save so many slaves without recharging her batteries.
Sadie: Daario's no sun and stars, but she definitely deserves SOMETHING else going on in her life beyond emancipating entire cities.
Hanh: Yes, that was my frustration with Dany in the books. She just seemed so driven that she got to be a boring warmonger. I wanted her to have some humanity. It didn't have to be romance, but maybe a good friendship with someone, a sense of humor, something.(Aside: I have to admit that Madonna made a pretty good Mother of Dragons here.)
Sadie: It's really unfair. Not only is Madonna rich, famous and a living legend, but she also gets to borrow actual Game of Thrones costumes.
Hanh: I would trade all that for a real dragon. I'd have the best BBQs!
Sadie: I hope Daario sticks around and becomes that for her. And maybe we'll get to see more of Missandei. We really know so little about her. You don't think we'll get to Hizdahr, do you? (Please say no.)
Hanh: No. And I don't want the show to get to him either. Let's play out Daario for a bit longer, please.
Sadie: Why else go through the recasting if only to have him replaced with a creep/wannabe assasin?
Hanh: Agreed. And if they need more story for Dany this season, the show can also give the dragons more to do. On the flip side of Dany's prosperity though is poor, poor Theon. Wow, I really do hope people are feeling sorry for him. Last we saw, he was gelded. I'm sure he's fully transformed into Reek by now. And that's something I both do and don't want to see.
Sadie: Really? I can't wait to see him go full-Reek! It's going to be a true test of Alfie Allen, but I have faith he'll pull it off in all Reek's stinking, crippled glory.
Hanh: Yes, I think he'll be great, and yet it hurts me so. I'm not sure how much we'll see, but I do hope he gets to escape this season.
Sadie: Plus, Ramsay is as delightful a villain as Joffrey, and we're going to need him to fill the love-to-hate void after the Purple Wedding.
Hanh: Very true. I love/hate Ramsay. He and Theon/Reek make a very good team. I just want to hug Reek and feed him lemon cakes and pat his head.
Sadie: I think that's probably why I'm looking forward to seeing Reek so much is because I know that we'll start to see Theon emerge again. So once we get through the initial horror at seeing him broken like this, we know it can't get any worse and that there's a great redemptive journey ahead.
Hanh: The transformations are the best things about this series! And speaking of ... we may as well wrap up with Lady Stoneheart. I think that will be the big shocker this season, as a final episode cliffhanger maybe?
Sadie: Oh my (seven) gods! I almost forgot about that somehow. Too much dreamwine, perhaps?
Hanh: Ha! Do you think you could outdrink Cersei?
Sadie: I could probably handle Cersei, but not the Queen of Thorns.
Hanh: But yeah the Lady Stoneheart revelation is a tiny part of the end of Book 3, yet so effective in its shock value. I feel they have to keep that same powerful tone for the series.
Sadie: I definitely think that'd be the perfect way to end this season. And it'd also have a nice (and hugely depressing) parallel with last season, which ended with her death.
Hanh: I wonder how the makeup will be. Michelle Fairley already had such a great, emotive voice as Catelyn. As Lady Stoneheart she will be downright frightening!
Sadie: George R.R. Martin's description in the books made me so uncomfortable. Actually seeing her like that will be the thing of nightmares. And I can't wait for her to haunt my dreams every night.
Hanh: And on that note, we'll turn it over to our readers.
What are your expectations this season? Whose deaths are you looking forward to most? Will we get to Book 4?
Game of Thrones' fourth season premieres Sunday, April 6 at 9/8c on HBO.
View original Game of Thrones By the Book: Season 4 Expectations, Hopes and Fears at TVGuide.com
Related Articles on TVGuide.com
- VIDEO: Watch the new Season 4 Game of Thrones trailer
- Game of Thrones hit list: Who do you want to die next in Season 4?
- Will there be a Game of Thrones movie?
- Teacher threatens students with Game of Thrones spoilers
Other Links From TVGuide.com


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Okay, now. I'm sure you're not seeing too many peach recipes lately, and I'm well aware of why that is. Full disclosure: I moved to Texas last summer and immediately began living and breathing for ripe, in-season peaches that soften in your hand, drip down your chin and practically liquefy in your mouth. But let's end this romance novel now – It is definitely not peach season. Not in Texas, not anywhere.
For that I am sad.
I still enjoy a good peach year-round, though, even if they're a little more hard and tart this time of year. But alas, a Georgia needs her peach. These are just the facts.
So, I had some leftover peaches and decided to make a tart. A tart with lemon juice, fresh ginger and buttery homemade pie dough… and then dotted with more butter. Why? Because I have no resolutions this year and live with reckless abandon. At least in the kitchen that is. MORE BUTTER NOW!
But seriously, these tarts are my favorite thing – next to a pot of spicy chicken chili – to make in the entire world. They're so easy and divinely delish with homemade whipped cream, not to mention pretty even if you just toss the fruit in the center and don't arrange it all pretty.
Whether you make this with store bought or homemade dough, use any manner of fruit, or enjoy it in the company of family or friends, you will love it so much and savor its summery flavors even during this cold season.
Rustic Peach and Ginger Tart
- All-purpose flour, for dusting your work surface
- 1 9- inch pie dough, store bought or homemade
- 2 peaches, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- Heat oven to 400° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough into one 9-inch circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, toss the peach slices, cornstarch, lemon juice, ginger and 3 tablespoons sugar. Pour filling onto the pie crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edges of the crust over the fruit mixture.
- Brush the milk or heavy cream on the crust and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the fruit is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!


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Early Spring
Photo credit: Pixabay
With all my Love,
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. It means that if you click on one of the product links, I'll receive a small portion of any sales at no additional cost to you. I only share products I like, have ordered, and products I want.


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By Dave Lounsbury, The Open Group
The Open Group is a strong believer in open standards and our members strive to help businesses achieve objectives through open standards. In 1995, under the auspices of The Open Group, the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) was developed and licensed for use by HP, IBM, Novell and Sunsoft to make open systems desktop computers as easy to use as PCs.
CDE is a single, standard graphical user interface for managing data, files, and applications on an operating system. Both application developers and users embraced the technology and approach because it provided a simple and common approach to accessing data and applications on network. With a click of a mouse, users could easily navigate through the operating system – similar to how we work on PCs and Macs today.
It was the first successful attempt to standardize on a desktop GUI on multiple, competing platforms. In many ways, CDE is responsible for the look, feel, and functionality of many of the popular operating systems used today, and brings distributed computing capabilities to the end user's desktop.
The Open Group is now passing the torch to a new CDE community, led by CDE suppliers and users such as Peter Howkins and Jon Trulson.
"I am grateful that The Open Group decided to open source the CDE codebase," said Jon Trulson. "This technology still has its fans and is very fast and lightweight compared to the prevailing UNIX desktop environments commonly in use today. I look forward to seeing it grow."
The CDE group is also releasing OpenMotif, which is the industry standard graphical interface that standardizes application presentation on open source operating systems such as Linux. OpenMotif is also the base graphical user interface toolkit for the CDE.
The Open Group thanks these founders of the new CDE community for their dedication and contribution to carrying this technology forward. We are delighted this community is moving forward with this project and look forward to the continued growth in adoption of this important technology.
For those of you who are interested in learning more about the CDE project and would like to get involved, please see http://sourceforge.net/projects/cdesktopenv.
Dave Lounsbury is The Open Group's Chief Technology Officer, previously VP of Collaboration Services. Dave holds three U.S. patents and is based in the U.S.


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Researchers have uncovered an ongoing, large-scale computer espionage network that's targeting hundreds of diplomatic, governmental, and scientific organizations in at least 39 countries, including the Russian Federation, Iran, and the United States.
Operation Red October, as researchers from antivirus provider Kaspersky Lab have dubbed the highly coordinated campaign, has been active since 2007, raising the possibility it has already siphoned up hundreds of terabytes of sensitive information. It uses more than 1,000 distinct modules that have never been seen before to customize attack profiles for each victim. Among other things, components target individual PCs, networking equipment from Cisco Systems, and smartphones from Apple, Microsoft, and Nokia. The attack also features a network of command-and-control servers with a complexity that rivals that used by the Flame espionage malware that targeted Iran.
"This is a pretty glaring example of a multiyear cyber espionage campaign," Kaspersky Lab expert Kurt Baumgartner told Ars. "We haven't seen these sorts of modules being distributed, so the customized approach to attacking individual victims is something we haven't seen before at this level."
The main purpose of the campaign is to gather classified information and geopolitical intelligence. Among the data collected are files from cryptographic systems such as the Acid Cryptofiler, with the collected information used in later attacks. Stolen credentials, for instance, were compiled and used later when the attackers needed to guess secret phrases in other locations.
Little is known about the people or organizations responsible for the project, and conflicting data makes it hard to attribute the nationality of the attackers. While the malware developers spoke Russian, many of the exploits used to hijack victim computers were initially developed by Chinese hackers. Also clouding the identity of the attackers is the long roster of victims. The Russian Federation was the most targeted country, followed by Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Belgium, India, Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, and Turkmenistan. In all computers belonging to 39 countries from a variety of continents are infected.
The command-and-control infrastructure that receives the stolen data uses more than 60 domain names as proxy servers to obscure the final destination. These domains are believed to funnel data to a second tier of proxy servers, which in turn are believed to send the information to a "mother ship" that Kaspersky researchers still know little about. The ability of the infrastructure to shield the identity of the attackers and to resist takedown efforts rivals the command-and-control system used by Flame, the espionage malware reportedly developed by the US and Israel to spy on Iran. The Red October malware itself has remained undetected on more than 300 PCs and networks for more than five years.
"It's been a very-well-maintained and set-up infrastructure that's supported with multiple levels of proxies in order to hide away the mothership," Baumgartner said. "They've been very effective at cycling through these domains and staying under the radar for the past five years."
"Foolproof" backdoor
One novel feature contained in Red October is a module that creates an extension for Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word on compromised machines. Once installed, the module provides attackers with a "foolproof" way to regain control of a compromised machine, should the main malware payload ever be removed.
"The document may be sent to the victim via e-mail," the researchers explained. "It will not have an exploit code and will safely pass all security checks. However, like with exploit case, the document will be instantly processed by the module and the module will start a malicious application attached to the document."
Red October is also notable for the broad array of devices it targets. Beside PCs and computer workstations, it's capable of stealing data from iPhones and Nokia and Windows Mobile smartphones, along with Cisco enterprise network equipment. It can also retrieve data from removable disk drives, including files that have already been deleted, thanks to a custom file recovery procedure.
Each infection is indexed by a unique ID that's assigned to the compromised machine. The identifier helps to ensure that each attack is carefully tailored to the specific attributes of the victim. For example, the initial documents designed to lure in a potential victim are customized to make them more appealing. Every single module is specifically compiled for the victim with a unique victim ID inside. What's more, when connecting to the control channel, backdoors identify themselves with a specific string that appears to be the victim's unique ID. "Presumably, this allows the attackers to distinguish between the multitudes of connections and perform specific operations for each victim individually," Kaspersky said.
Despite the sophistication and organization of Red October, the researchers said they have found no evidence that the campaign is related to Flame, Gauss, Duqu, or other espionage malware discovered in the wild over the past few years.
"Currently, there is no evidence linking this with a nation-state sponsored attack," Kaspersky researchers wrote in a blog post published Monday morning. "The information stolen by the attackers is obviously of the highest level and includes geopolitical data which can be used by nation states. Such information could be traded in the underground and sold to the highest bidder, which can be of course, anywhere." (A corresponding research report is here.)
Kaspersky said it came across the operation in October after a request from an unidentified partner. Researchers were able to peer inside the operation after "sinkholing"—that is gaining control of—six of the 60 domains used as first-tier proxies and observing the traffic sent between infected machines and the control servers. From early November 2012 until Thursday, researchers observed more than 55,000 connections to the sinkhole coming from 250 different IP addresses. In at least some of the cases, Kaspersky was able to obtain the domains because they remained unregistered even after they had been hardcoded into the malware. That would appear to have been a major oversight by the attackers.
The discovery of Red October opens yet another chapter in the just-begun era of highly advanced espionage malware that already included Duqu, Flame, and Gauss. With its high degree of customization and its ability to evade detection for five years, the operation has rivaled previous espionage campaigns including the Aurora attacks that hit Google and dozens of other large companies three years ago.
"All of these are very well-coordinated, very professionally run projects," Baumgartner said. "There's not enough evidence to link it to a nation-state, but certainly this level of interest and multi-year, ongoing campaign puts it up there with something like Flame and Duqu in the amount of effort it takes to seek out those targets and infiltrate the networks."
Listing image by Aurich Lawson / Paramount Pictures


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Super Bowl matchup: 49ers TE Davis vs. Ravens back seven
In his first start, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick helped revive Vernon Davis' season. Kaepernick found Davis a season-high six times for 83 yards and a TD, and it was said that this new combination would help free up Davis and unleash a new element to the 49ers' offense. Interestingly, it didn't work out quite that way. Davis' production fell back off sharply again, as he caught only seven passes (no more than two in any game) in the remainder of the regular season and in the postseason opener against Green Bay (seven games) for 105 yards and no TDs.
But Davis and Kaepernick reminded folks in the NFC title game that the connection was still viable. As the Falcons concerned themselves more with the 49ers' read-option game (mostly Kaepernick's running ability) and stopping WR Michael Crabtree, who had been Kaepernick's favorite target most of his games, Davis ran free. He was wide open several times on a variety of routes – crossing routes, seam routes, posts – and caught five passes for 106 yards and a TD.
"You can't sleep on Vernon Davis," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said. "You can't sleep on any of those guys.
"Colin Kaepernick is exceptionally gifted in that area, throwing those routes. Those two guys have the chemistry and they're capable of making the big play and lighting it up at any time."
The Ravens primarily used S Bernard Pollard on Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez in the AFC title game. Although Hernandez caught eight passes for 93 yards, it was on 14 targets and none of his catches went for longer than 17 yards.
Davis brings a unique athleticism to the position. He's stronger and faster than Hernandez.
"Definitely, he's a freak at the position," Ravens LB Terrell Suggs said. "He's definitely one of the best, if not the best tight end."
Although Davis expects to see Pollard a lot, he also knows the Ravens could switch things up. They have taken different defensive approaches this season to quality receiving tight ends.
"They do play Pollard in the box," Davis said. "For me, you just never know. You can look at them and watch how they played Aaron Hernandez since (Rob) Gronkowski's been out. You can look at that game and think they'll play me the same way, but it just doesn't happen like that. You just never know. That's one thing that is interesting about this game, and this past year, these guys switch their coverage up quite a bit."
Davis' main prowess to the naked eye is his receiving ability, but he also helps the run game significantly, especially when the team uses its heavy sets with multiple tight ends, a fullback or extra offensive linemen.
"Vernon Davis is a spectacular athlete," Harbaugh said. "He's a good blocker as well."


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Kalderetang Baka Recipe
Kalderetang Baka Recipe
March 26, 2015 No Comments Panlasang Pinoy Recipes
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Panlasang Pinoy Recipes
Panlasang Pinoy Recipes is a food blog created to share a collection of local and foreign recipes that have been modified to suit Filipino taste. This blog was started in 2012. The recipes here are a compilation of those obtained from different food blogs. More info about us? Click here
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Preseeding provides a way to set answers to questions asked during the installation process, without having to manually enter the answers while the installation is running. This makes it possible to fully automate most types of installation and even offers some features not available during normal installations.
Preseeding is not required. If you use an empty preseed file, the installer will behave just the same way as in a normal manual installation. Each question you preseed will (if you got it right!) modify the installation in some way from that baseline.
There are three methods that can be used for preseeding: initrd, file and network. Initrd preseeding will work with any installation method and supports preseeding of more things, but it requires the most preparation. File and network preseeding each can be used with different installation methods.
The following table shows which preseeding methods can be used with which installation methods.
|Installation method
but only if you have network access, and set
An important difference between the preseeding methods is the point at which the preconfiguration file is loaded and processed. For initrd preseeding this is right at the start of the installation, before the first question is even asked. For file preseeding this is after the CD or CD image has been loaded. For network preseeding it is only after the network has been configured.
Obviously, any questions that have been processed before the preconfiguration file is loaded cannot be preseeded (this will include questions that are only displayed at medium or low priority, like the first hardware detection run). Section B.2.2, "Using boot parameters to preseed questions" offers a way to avoid these questions being asked.
In order to avoid the questions that would normally appear before the preseeding occurs, you can start the installer in "auto" mode. This delays questions that would normally be asked too early for preseeding (i.e. language, country and keyboard selection) until after the network comes up, thus allowing them to be preseeded. It also runs the installation at critical priority, which avoids many unimportant questions. See Section B.2.3, "Auto mode" for details.


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[Geila gives us two more superb recipes! Editor]
Sweetcorn Salad
Serves 6
This delicious – and beautiful – salad began with a bag of sweetcorn kernels I'd scraped from cobs served at a barbecue. In my house, company is a constant. To feed a hungry crowd one day and to use up the kernels, I invented this salad. With toasted pine nuts, onion, pepper and a tantalising sesame oil-based dressing, the salad goes beautifully with my Surimi Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Mayonnaise or with any grilled meat or fish.
- 1 teaspoon grapeseed or rapeseed oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 6 corn on the cobs
- 1/2 cup sugar, if needed
- 1 orange, yellow or red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 scallions, white part only, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a small frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the nuts and toast, stirring, until aromatic and beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Set the nuts aside.
- Fill a large pan with water and bring to the boil. Taste the sweetcorn; if it's not sufficiently sweet, add the sugar to the water. Add the corn on the cobs and cook until just tender, 5–7 minutes. Drain, and when the cobs are cool, cut off the kernels using a large knife. Transfer the kernels to a large bowl.
- Add the pepper, onion, spring onions, cilantro and reserved nuts, and toss. In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, vinegar, mirin and salt, and blend well. Pour over the sweetcorn mixture and toss well. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Geila's Tip
Never add salt to the water in which you boil sweetcorn. It toughens the kernels.
Coconut Flan
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 8 eggs
- 1 15 ounce can cream of coconut- Roland, coco lopez
- 2 tablespoons Mexican vanilla
- Preheat oven to 300.
- Place sugar and corn syrup in small heavy bottomed saucepan with the water and stir. Over medium heat let the sugar melt until it begins to turn color. Once coloring has begun you may swirl the pan. When the caramel is medium amber pour into a greased 9 inch pan that has been placed on a dishtowel in a roasting pan.
- Blend together the vanilla, eggs, and cream of coconut. Pour the mixture over the caramel. Place pan in oven and fill with hot water that comes half way up side of pan.
- Bake for one hour or until custard is set and knife comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Run knife along edge and invert onto a plate and serve.
Geila Hocherman's Cinco de Mayo Recipes – Part 1
Geila Hocherman & Costas Mouzouras – Passover Food and Wine Pairing – Recipes – Part 2
Geila Hocherman & Costas Mouzouras – Passover Food and Wine Pairing – Recipes – Part 1
Chef Geila Hocherman's Hamentashen With Four Fillings
The Peppermill & this Evening's Radio Show
Pecan Pie – Part 2 – Maple Pecan Pie


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- Regular Price
- $18.00
- Sale Price
- $18.00
- Regular Price
- Unit Price
- per
Haute Shore Ev Glasses Case
Ev Wonder Linen Eyeglass Case
- Details: Grey Linen with White Center Star
- Neoprene Eyeglass Case
- 2 Interior Card Slots
- Accommodates Oversized Glasses | Sunglasses
Care: Hand Wash
We will gladly make an exchange or issue a merchandise credit for items that are unworn, with unaltered attached tags and accompanied by the original receipt within 10 days of the purchase date.
No Returns or Exchanges for the following:
- No Returns or exchanges will be accepted for SALE items as they are FINAL SALE
- No Returns or exchanges will be accepted for accessories including: all accessories, jewelry, handbags, wallets, keyrings, hats, hair accessories, belts, sunglasses, BrüMate, undergarments (including SPANX, bralettes, bodysuits, leggings, nipple covers, lingerie tape), face mask, face coverings, watch bands and body products as they are FINAL SALE
- No Returns or exchanges will be accepted for Tyler Candle Company products as they are FINAL SALE
- No Returns or exchanges will be accepted for footwear and shoes as they are FINAL SALE
- ALL seasonal items are FINAL SALE (including all holiday {items brought in for seasonal specials} and game day). THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS on returns or exchanges for ALL holiday and game day merchandise.
- We cannot accept returns on gift cards.
- Items bought with a Store Credit are FINAL SALE
- We do not offer price adjustments for items that go on sale after the date of purchase
Exchanges: due to our limited quantities per style, we're unable to make an exchange. We suggest if another size is needed, that you return the item immediately, and when we issue your store credit, and the right size is available, you can use your credit to purchase the size needed. We're unable to hold merchandise via the website or in-store.
You may make a return in-store if your return meets the criteria as outlined above, please bring your return to the store during normal business hours.
Need to Ship Back to Us? Please contact us FIRST to make sure your purchase qualifies. You are responsible for the return shipping cost. Once we receive your return, we will process it within two business days and email you an e-gift card to be used on our website.
- Returns that do not meet our eligibility requirements are subject to a restocking fee (this restocking fee can vary from $3 up to $25 depending on original purchase price of the item or items).
- Returns postmarked after 10 days from order date are subject to a restocking fee (This restocking fee is equal to 10% of the original purchase price or $3/item whichever is greater).
- Ineligible returns (including returns that are postmarked after 10 days of order date in which the customer does not wish to have a restocking fee withheld) can be shipped back to the customer at their own expense.
More Legal Stuff:
If your item meets the above outline please read below:
To be eligible for a return your item must be in the same condition that you received it. Which means it must be:
- unworn or unused.
- the tags must be attached the way they left the store and unaltered in any way (even if unworn).
- the items must be in it's original packaging.
- the original receipt or proof of purchase must be accompanied with the return.
To start a return, you can contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. If your return is accepted, we'll send you instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted. We will not pay for the return cost of your items,
You can always contact us for any return question at firstname.lastname@example.com
Damages or Issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions | Non-returnable Items
- There are no exceptions to the out line above
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
Refunds are not issued. STORE CREDIT ONLY
We will notify you once we've received and inspected your return, and let you know if the return was approved or not. If approved, you'll be automatically be issued a store credit.
When returning an item, please take note of the above outline as we remain firm on our return policy with all our customers.
- STORE CREDIT WILL NOT be issued if it your items does not meet the above policy set forth by Bella Lucca.


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Ernährungsberatung in Wien
People who booked Ernährungsberatung in Wien also booked the following sports
Here, you find all facilities in Wien where you can do Ernährungsberatung - including all the information about prices, offers, amenities, opening hours as well as ratings and reviews. Find the next facility near you and find all details in one place. You'll surely find the one facility that fits to you!


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Yuba County, California Traffic Ticket Lawyer
Do you always need a lawyer for a parking ticket? From a practical point of view, the definitive answer is likely. It is shocking how many completely misunderstood problems related to speeding and ends signed representation. In the beginning, each county has its own rules.
In fact, various prosecutors adhere to their guidelines. Without going to court every day and observing every prosecutor, defense attorney, and judge, there is likely no way to develop enough institutional knowledge to know if you are handling your case to the best of your ability.
Who Is A Traffic Lawyer?
A traffic lawyer is one who specializes in the field of traffic law, deals with up to date traffic-related penalties, fines and crimes, and understands the implications and general statement of applicable law, and most importantly provides constitutes legal advice.
How Do Traffic Ticket Attorney Works in Yuba County, California?
While some may also work as traffic accident attorneys, most attorneys who deal with traffic tickets dedicate all of their time to them. Since the cases are not as complicated as criminal law, they scroll quickly through the case numbers. Sometimes they see hundreds of cases every day. You might wonder how much a traffic law attorney costs. It varies from company to company, but many of them offer a money-back guarantee if the ticket removes from your registry or you faced no fine value.
How do lawyers reject traffic tickets in Yuba County, California? They know the technical details behind the tickets. Every traffic offences have certain criteria that to meet with a rejection of traffic tickets. They know, if something (an important document, for example) is missing, the ticket is invalid and legal law will discard it. If the ticket issues are correct, there is a chance that experienced traffic ticket lawyers will reduce the fine or avoid awarding points to the drivers license through negotiation.
Is It Worth It To Hire Traffic Ticket Attorney In Yuba County, California?
Most of the people who contest their parking tickets represent themselves in the traffic court of Yuba County, California. However, is it worth hiring a traffic lawyer? Usually, red light tickets can be pricey and cause various problems and circumstances to deal with.
For many people, hiring a lawyer in Yuba County, California for a parking ticket is worth it. However, in various circumstances, a driver should not spend the additional cost to hire an attorney.
How Do I Choose A Traffic Ticket Lawyer Yuba County, California?
You do not necessarily have to stay consistent with the first attorney you meet. A speeding violation takes time to cultivate, so you never have to be desperate, first of all.
In Yuba County, California, sometimes a ticket defense attorney tries to take benefit from a panicked driver and charges a steep fee. However, you can proceed smartly and avoid falling into these traps of paying extra in the initial phases of evaluation.
Attorney client relationship is important! You must have a better understanding of the situation based on your lawyer's analysis, you can decide yourself whether to hire such an attorney to represent you or not.
Your chosen attorney will be best if he listens to your perspective about the violation carefully and explains applicable legal principles that could impose on your case. Allow him to make intentional verdicts to the extent he wishes.
Besides, you may fire your lawyer any time as per Yuba County, California law, but you must do so in professional writing. When you write your lawyer, make sure to keep a copy as a record. While firing, make sure to provide him with the legal notice along with clearance negotiation for partial rendered services using the ticket clinic mobile app.
How Much Yuba County, California Traffic Ticket Lawyer Cost?
The fees that an attorney will charge you to defend a moving violation will depend on the type of violation. In Yuba County, California, some attorneys cost you a flat fee to dismiss your quote. These typically range from $ 300 or more, depending on the amount of time and effort they put into your case.
Fees for moving and non-moving violations can vary widely. Legal fees jump from 900 to 2,000 dollars or more to match a speeding receipt and can go up to 4,000 dollars to handle a difficult case going to trial.
An attorney may charge a fee for a specific type of case or an hourly rate between $ 150 and $ 300 per hour. You may have to pay an upfront fee called an advance.
Professional lawyers ensure excellent results. In Yuba County, California, the attorneys pride themselves on working relentlessly to reach the best possible outcome. They educate clients about the overall process, the approach they will take, why they pursue a certain course of action against realistic potential outcomes – considered legal advice.
For many persons, hiring a lawyer in Yuba County, California for a traffic ticket (speeding) violation worths the cost. Professional lawyers ensure excellent results in your favor.


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'There is not an argument for not wearing seat belts'
Struck by another car, the McEachern family's truck swerved across three lanes of traffic on Interstate 495, flipping over six times before it crashed to a stop on its side.
Daniel and Theresa McEachern survived that terrifying crash in May along with their daughter Megan, 13, and the Franklin family's dog, Buddy.
Recovery from the accident is tough and slow, Theresa said last week. Daniel is recuperating from hurting his head, neck and back, and Theresa is still undergoing physical therapy for a serious knee injury, she said.
But Theresa has little doubt is sure her family can thank seat belts for surviving their accident in Foxborough. Everyone was buckled up that day -- even Buddy.
``I firmly believe that the seat belts did save our lives, in addition to having God or an angel on our shoulder,'' she said. ``With that combination, I think we were very, very, very lucky.''
But more and more drivers not wearing seat belts have fared much worse on state highways this year, including several deadly crashes in MetroWest and the Milford area.
The Massachusetts State Police have responded to 17 percent more fatal car accidents so far this year, compared to the same time period in 2006. As of this month, 156 people have died on state highways this year, up 20 percent from 130 deaths between January and July last year, state troopers said.
The percentage killed while not wearing seat belts has scarcely budged since last year. Sixty-five of the people who died this year were not buckled in, or 42 percent, state police said.
At the same time last year, 56 people had died without seat belts, or 43 percent, state police said.
Several deaths were in this region, including a New Hampshire man killed this month in Waltham when his car veered off Interstate 95, and a Raynham teen who was ejected from a car and killed on I-495 in Bellingham. Two New York men were killed last month on their way home from a Red Sox game, ejected from their sport utility vehicle on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Southborough after the vehicle hit a deer and went out of control.
Those numbers trouble local police and emergency responders.
``I can tell you in my experience, a lot of people could have survived,'' said Framingham Police Lt. Paul Shastany. ``It doesn't make sense, and there is not an argument for not wearing seat belts.''
However, there is evidence the overall percentage of drivers using seat belts has improved in Massachusetts over the past five years, though the state has long lagged behind others. Still, at least one prominent lawmaker from MetroWest says she hopes the Legislature will again take up a hot-button bill this year that would let police pull drivers over if they're spotted unbuckled.
A 2006 state survey found 67 percent of drivers wore seat belts, well below the national average, said Sheila Burgess-Hill, director of the Executive Office of Public Safety's highway safety division.
But that percentage appears to have climbed to 74 percent so far this year, said Burgess-Hill, who partly credited the state's ongoing Click It or Ticket campaign with local police departments.
In the past five years, the state's seat belt use has improved 16 percentage points, from 58 percent to 74 percent, she said.
``We constantly have ongoing mobilizations, where we work with individual as well as state police agencies,'' Burgess-Hill said. ``In addition to that, we have sobriety check points that are ongoing.''
Still, Mendon Police and Fire Chief Ernest Horn said as the head of the Central Massachusetts Reconstruction Team, most fatal crashes he sees still involve people not wearing safety belts.
``When we get called to a fatal, almost every single one, we'll get there and they're not wearing their seat belt,'' Horn said. ``Thinking back over the last five years, in crashes where there was minor (damage) or no passenger compartment intrusion ... I'd say 100 percent of the time in those crashes, no one died unless they were unbelted.''
Bill Anderson, owner of Anderson Driving School in Framingham, said he tries to dispel myths he hears from students that seat belts could trap a driver in a car fire or if submerged in water.
``That doesn't happen very often,'' Anderson said. ``You're also more likely to be able to open a door if you're conscious.''
Some students also cite cases where friends have been hurt or killed despite wearing a seat belt, but the chances of injury or getting thrown from a car are far higher unbuckled, Anderson said.
``I think the kids are wearing seat belts a lot better nowadays than they were in my generation, and I'm in my 50s,'' Anderson said.
State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said she hopes the state will revisit a bill that would make failing to buckle up a primary offense. Under current law, police can only ticket for not wearing a seat belt if the driver is pulled over for another offense, such as speeding or having a taillight out.
``To me, the longer we wait, unfortunately, the more fatalities there will be,'' Spilka said. ``This is something I think that is pretty simple that we could do that would save lives.''
The measure has faltered three times since 2001 and was narrowly defeated in the House last year. Critics, including former state Rep. Marie Parente of Milford, said the measure was an invasion of privacy, or could open the door for racial profiling and other abuses of police power.
Spilka said the state also has financial incentive to revisit the issue.
Federal legislation in 2005 made additional highway funding available to states where 85 percent of drivers use seat belts for two consecutive years in a row.
In the meantime, state police are doing their best to encourage seat belt use and reduce fatalities, said spokesman Sgt. Robert Bousquet. Nationwide, about 72 percent of auto deaths involve people without seat belts, he said.
State police received extra funding from the Executive Office of Public Safety to step up Click It or Ticket campaigns and saw funding for sobriety checkpoints boosted from $100,000 to $400,000 this year, Bousquet said.
``The best action any member of the public may take to save their own life is to wear a seat belt,'' Bousquet said in an e-mail.
That's a lesson Cody Keiser of Hopkinton said he learned firsthand in February, when he escaped unscathed in February when the truck he was riding in skidded on ice and tumbled down a steep embankment on South Street.
His friend, Joel Rogers, also of Hopkinton, was seriously injured behind the wheel in that crash -- he wasn't wearing a seat belt -- but has since recovered, Keiser said.
``He's wicked lucky,'' Keiser said. ``He should be dead. I should be dead. But I was wearing my seat belt. I came out pretty much unscathed.''
David Riley can be reached at 508-626-3919 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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With tax filing near, have the talk: Joint or separate?Published:
Generally it is better to file a joint return, but in some cases it may pay to go your separate ways ' on your tax return, anyway.
Married couples have the option to file a joint return or file separately. Generally it is better to file a joint return. Separate filings usually result in the same or greater combined tax liability. But in some cases it may pay to file separately.
Because of the 7.5% of Adjusted Gross Income exclusion for medical expenses and 2% exclusion for miscellaneous deductions, if one spouse has excessive deductions in either category, applying the percentage exclusion to a lower separate AGI could result in a greater deduction and less combined tax. If you have children under age 17, the total Child Tax Credit allowed on separate returns could be more than the credit you can claim on a joint return.
You must consider the state tax consequences when determining how to file. Usually you must use the same filing status on your resident and nonresident state returns that you use on your federal return. And filing separately may cost $150 more in federal tax, but it may save $300 in state tax, as is often the case in my former home state of New Jersey.
In certain situations you can't claim a specific tax benefit or you will get a reduced benefit if you file separate federal returns. If you file separately and one spouse itemizes, the other spouse must also itemize — even if that spouse's deductions are less than the $5,950 Standard Deduction. The Earned Income and Child Care credits and the various education tax benefits are not available, and more of your Social Security benefits may be taxed if you file separately.
Be sure to calculate the Alternative Minimum Tax when comparing your filing options. You may pay less combined "regular" income tax by filing separately, but one or both spouses may end up a victim of AMT.